As we begin a new millenium, the nation is challenged by the persistent need to elimanate major health status dispartites between different segments of the population. Investment in biomedical research has brought the elimination of some devastating diseases, but health disparities remain. Mehanry Medical College's history and vision for the future place it in the forefront of efforts to ameliorate health status disparities affecting the African American community and other underrepresented minorities. Meharry's School of Medicine research strategic plan places emphasis on strategies designed to foster an increase in health related research and competitiveness of investigators through faculty development and enhancement of the research infrastructure at the College. The three major goals of the College's research strategic plan are: 1) Increase the number of basic and clinically trained research scientists ; 2) Enhance the competiveness of basic and clinical researchers at Meharry Medical College through strengthening the research infrastructure capacity of the College; 3) Augment and strengthen the College's research capabilities through the development of four thematic focused health disparity interdisciplinary Centers of Excellence. This proposal seeks endowment funds in support of the College's efforts to: advance the scientific understanding of health disparities; develop new or improved approaches to control or prevent diseases and disabilities that contribute to health disparities; and, develop culturally sensitive evidenced-based approaches to treat diseases and conditions that disproportionately affect African- Americans. The complementary specific aims of this proposal are: 1) Strengthen the College's recruitment efforts of "magnet scientists" to lead the development and/or advancement of thematic-focused interdisciplinary Centers of Excellence in health disparities research and augment the resources available to the selected faculty; 2) Enhance the competitiveness of basic and clinical researchers through the strengthening of the institutional research infrastructure, particularly the shared core laboratories; 3) Increase the number of clinical science investigators by establishing endowed fellowships in support of the Meharry trainees participation in the Master of Science in Clinical Investigation or Master of Science in Public Health recently established at Meharry in collaboration with Vanderbilt University Medical Center.